Tamed by the Billionaire (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (11 page)

When the door clicked shut behind him Serena went back to the sofa and collapsed in a dejected heap.  What an awful way to end a beautiful day.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Going to work that Monday was one of the hardest things Serena ever had to do.  How could she face the man who had made her feel so low?  Ever since she had joined the company weeks before her life had been turned upside down.  Where had her Van Buren swagger gone?  She didn’t even feel like herself anymore.

She heaved a sigh as she switched on her computer and pulled out her chair.  Thank God she had more than enough work to keep her busy and her mind off her awkward situation.  She had the agency file to go through and several spreadsheets to prepare for a meeting with the budget manager.  Now all she had to do was keep her nose to the grindstone and stay out of Roman Steele’s way.

It was almost lunchtime when Serena was interrupted by a low voice.  It was Theresa.

What now?  Had the woman come to summon her to Roman’s office?  Would this be the dismissal she’d been working so hard to get?  Instead of filling her with elation the thought made her heart slow with anguish.  Her spirit fell at the thought of never seeing Roman again.  She did not think she could bear it.  Despite her distress Serena put on a brave face and gave Theresa a tight smile.

“I just stopped by to let you know that Mr. Steele left this morning for New York.”

“New York?”  Serena stared up at her, stunned.  He’d spent most of Saturday with her and he hadn’t mentioned a trip to New York.  Was this something he’d come up with at the last minute to avoid her?  “I see,” she said, her voice low and controlled.  “Did he say when he would be back?”

“The meetings go until Thursday but he’ll probably be out all week,” Theresa said.  “We might not see him till next week.”  She laid a folder on Serena’s desk.  “He asked me to make sure you got this.  While he’s meeting with the Consumer Research Company he wanted you to get started on the work with the local focus groups.  Apparently this project has a tight timeline.”

Serena nodded and opened the folder.  It was thick, full of what looked like response sheets from hundreds of surveys.  It would take her days to tabulate and analyze this information to create a meaningful report.  Still, there was nothing like work to take your mind off your troubles.  She didn’t even flinch when Theresa produced a second file.

“There’s this, too, but if you like I could hold on to it till you’re done with the first project.”  The woman actually looked guilty.

“No, not at all.  I prefer if you give me everything all at once.”  She took the second file and gave Theresa a confident smile.  “I guess I’d better get started.”  Theresa took the hint and departed, leaving Serena staring at her sad and lonely computer screen.  Or maybe it was she who was sad and lonely.  She shook her head. 
Come on, Serena.  Roman or no Roman you have a job to do.
 And no man was worth pining over.  Certainly not one who felt he was too good for her.   

Despite her troubles the week flew by for Serena.  Work was a great salve for her wounds and the perfect source of distraction.  Eventually she found she was beginning to enjoy what she was doing.  She’d been consulting with the heads of various departments and working closely with the product development team.  She was learning so much that she almost felt grateful to Roman for teaming up with her father to make her do the internship.

Almost.  She was still a bit peeved at having been forced into it but even she had to admit that if she ever were to work in her father’s business this was just about the best preparation she could have had.  Working with cross-functional teams was a true learning experience and one which opened her understanding of team dynamics and collaboration.

Before she knew where the week had gone, Friday came and she still had not completed project number two.  Theresa told her that Roman had called every day to check on the progress of the assignment but he’d never spoken to her.  Even though she was disappointed maybe that was a good thing.  After all, what would she say to him?  Or him to her?  It would only create awkwardness on both sides.  Besides, the next time she spoke to him she wanted to be able to say she’d completed all her projects.

That evening when everyone was calling TGIF to one another and packing to go Serena still sat at her desk plugging away.  She was determined to finish the assignment before shutting down for the weekend.  When Roman stepped in on Monday morning her finished reports would be sitting on his desk.  What was more, they would exceed his expectations because she’d gone out of her way to commission professionally produced illustrations and charts.  She’d even included a presentation on a new campaign idea she had, one that would take greater advantage of social media opportunities.  That was the part that still needed fleshing out.  It would take her a few more hours but she wasn’t complaining.  It wasn’t like she was rushing home to family and friends.  She was on her own now in many senses of the word.

Serena glanced at the clock.  Six twenty-one in the evening.  If she had any hope of leaving the place by nine she’d better get cracking.

*****

Roman relaxed into the plush leather seat of the limousine that was taking him from the airport back to his office.  It was late, he knew, and everyone would have already left for home.  After all, it was Friday.  Which of his employees would give up their Friday night to work overtime?  That would be a rare occurrence.  In fact, he discouraged that sort of thing.  For him, balance was important and the weekend was the time for relaxation, family and friends.

Unfortunately for him there was no family to run home to.  All he’d be rushing to was a huge and empty penthouse suite freshly cleaned in anticipation of his return.  His housekeeper would have made sure everything was spotless and a warm meal would be waiting for him.  But what joy was that when you were eating alone?

So instead of heading for home he went straight to the office.  He had no intention of staying there late.  He’d retrieve a few files and then he’d be on his way.

He was surprised when he met the head of security in the lobby and learned that the building was not as empty as he had anticipated.  One eager beaver, as the man put it, was still plugging away on the sixth floor at almost nine o’clock at night.  That eager beaver was Serena Van Buren.

At the man’s words, Roman frowned.  Serena?  She was the last person he would expect to be working until this hour on a Friday night.  He knew he’d left quite a bit for her to do in his absence but not so much that she’d have to give up her weekend.  He would have to check on her.  He’d deliberately avoided speaking to her while he’d been away on his business trip.  He wanted to give her space, time to recover from that unhappy incident at her apartment.  But now there was no avoiding it.

Roman was surprised when he got to a sixth floor that was totally silent.  He’d expected to at least hear the hum of computers, the tapping of fingers on a keyboard or a printer in motion.  But there was nothing except the eerie silence of a deserted office.  The security guard must have been mistaken.   Either that or she’d already left.

Roman decided to continue on his way to his office on the tenth floor.  The door was slightly ajar and he nudged it open with foot as he began to loosen his tie.  He was just about to throw his briefcase onto the sofa when he froze.  There Serena lay, fast asleep, her head resting on the arm of the couch, her long, dark hair cascading almost to the floor.  Her face, unguarded and innocent, was flushed in sleep and her long lashes formed crescents that fanned out on her smooth skin.  On her lap was a folder and he could guess what had happened.  She’d probably gone to his office to leave the reports he’d requested and had found the sofa too hard to resist and then sleep had come to claim her.

For a long while Roman stood staring down at the vision of beauty before him.  He wanted her so badly he could taste it.  Finally, unable to resist, he reached out a hand and touched the soft fineness of her hair.  He lifted a tendril from off her face and that was when she woke up.

Serena’s eyelids fluttered then slowly her eyes opened.  “Roman?  What?  Where?”  Clearly disoriented, she tried to raise her head then sat back down and groaned.  She lifted a hand and rubbed the back of her neck.  Then she blinked up at him like a very sleepy kitten.

Roman chuckled then reached out and gently helped her to her feet.  She stifled a yawn then stretched, almost involuntarily, and her body swayed.  He could see that she was still half asleep.  He reached out to steady her and before he could stop her she was relaxing into him, her soft curves molding into him.  God, that felt good.

His arms circled her waist as he held her so she would not fall and then she was pressing her body into his.  She laid her head on his chest and gave a soft sigh then began to move her lips against the fabric of his shirt as if searching for the hardened nub of his nipple.  His groin tightened in response.  The little minx was driving him crazy.

He knew he should stop her but when she slid her hands up his body and began to loosen the buttons on his shirt he did not.  All week he’d been dying for this, for the heat of her body, the softness of her fingers, the caress of her lips.  All week he’d been reliving those precious moments when she’d responded to him with a seductive innocence that he’d found so hard to resist.  And now she was in his arms again.

Serena had opened five of the buttons and was tugging on his tie to loosen it.  He reached up to help her.  In one quick move he slipped it off and threw it on top of the desk.  

Then she dipped her head, and like she’d done days before, she pressed her lips to his chest and captured his sensitive bud between sharp white teeth, sending shockwaves ripping through his body.   Roman cupped her head with his big hand, reveling in the pleasure she was giving him with her lips, turned on by her soft sighs and moans.  In a final effort at resistance he groaned then kissed the top of her head and captured the hands that worried his belt.

“Serena,” he whispered, his voice hoarse and strained, even to his own ears, “are you sure you want this?”

In response, she kissed the middle of his chest then sighed.  “Roman,” she whispered, her voice breathless, “I’ve wanted this ever since the day I met you.”  She wrapped her arms around his bare waist and pressed her body against his.  “Please don’t reject me again.”

Reject her?  What the hell was she talking about?  How could he reject such a delicate but wickedly tempting flower?  He’d been trying his best to resist her precocious charms but it was no use.  She was offering herself up to him and his body was clamoring for her.  He had to have her. 

Roman shrugged out of his jacket and popped open the rest of the buttons on his shirt.  He threw it onto the floor.  Then he turned his attention to the little witch who lay back on the sofa, smiling dreamingly up at him.  There was no hesitation in her eyes, no fear, no uncertainty.  Instead, what he saw was the intensity of her desire, a desire that seemed to match the craving he was feeling.  Dear God, he could see it.  She wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Before he could move to help her, Serena began to undress.  Her jacket and top were off in seconds and then she was sliding her skirt down her legs.  Then she lay back dressed only in lacy black bra and matching panties.  She was beautiful.

Roman sat on the couch and lowered his head to the fullness of her breasts.  He kissed the tops of the soft mounds and licked at the heated flesh till Serena moaned and arched her back, gasping for more.  This time Roman wanted nothing between them.  He slid his hands under her back and snapped the bra open then slid it from her arms and dropped it on the floor beside them.  Her breasts, so full and round, creamy mounds of delectable flesh, fell open to his gaze.  The delicious pink cherries on their tips made his mouth water.

Serena did not show an ounce of shyness.  She seemed to revel in his look of admiration.  Her lips curved up in a sweet smile of satisfaction and then she took the next step, raising her hips and hooking her fingers into the sides of her panties.  She slid them down her long, lean legs, never once taking her eyes off his face.  Now, totally naked she lay back on the sofa and looked up at him expectantly.

Roman needed no further invitation.  Quickly, he unbuckled the belt and shucked trousers, socks and shoes then he was standing, naked and aroused in front of her.

For one quick moment he saw what looked like fear in her eyes.  Her eyes widened when they fell on his manhood, swollen and ready, but then she looked back up at him, deep into his eyes, and there was no more anxiety there.  All Roman could see was desire that burned with an intensity that fueled his own want.

Roman went to her then, covering her soft, yielding body with his.  He pressed his lips to hers and when she opened like a flower unfolding he captured her lips, her tongue, kissing her with a passion he hadn’t felt in years.  What was it about this little witch that made him lose all control?  The taste of her mouth, the feel of her soft breasts against his chest, the caress of her arms as they wrapped around him, the smoothness of her legs as they raised up and wrapped around his waist.  It was all too much.  All he wanted to do was bury himself inside this sweet, seductive siren and ride her till she took him to the brink and over the edge.